James “Jim” Jerome Hughes

March 8, 2021 11:35 AM

Site staff,

Posted: March 8, 2021 11:35 AM

by Site staff

James “Jim” Jerome Hughes passed away on February 27, 2021, after a short battle with a very aggressive cancer.

Jim was born on March 13, 1953, in Moscow, Idaho to Jeanette (Pearce) and William Hughes. He spent his early years in Viola, Idaho until moving to Oldtown, Idaho in 1966. He attended Idaho Hill for 8th grade and then went on to Newport High School where he graduated in 1971.

After high school he attended Spokane Community College to become an electrician, but he ended up using that training to become a purchasing agent for Kehne-Crabtree Electric and later Electric Smith and eventually Maxwell’s Electric Contracting in Spokane.

In 1978, he went into the excavating business with his step-father, Walt Campbell, to form Campbell & Hughes Excavating. A few years later, that partnership dissolved and he went out on his own with Jim Hughes Excavating, working in Newport, Oldtown and the surrounding areas for the next forty-plus years.

Jim graduated from Newport High School with his future wife Susan Balcom, but they did not become a couple until 1972, when both were working and living in Spokane. They married on August 25, 1973.

Jim was a devoted family man and avid outdoorsman. He always said that being self-employed was a blessing that allowed him the freedom to plan his work schedule around the family and all their events and outdoor adventures. He could watch and participate in all the school events, sports seasons and programs without having to okay it with his boss……HE was the boss.

Jim loved the outdoors from an early age and enjoyed hunting during rifle and archery seasons. He also enjoyed fishing year-round – creek fishing, boat fishing and ice fishing in the winter.

Jim was a hard-working, honest businessman. But he was also one who always stepped up to help those who needed help without expecting to get anything in return. One of his responses was, “Catch me later. I may need a favor someday.”

Jim was preceded in death by his mother and step-father, Jeanette and Walt Campbell; father William Hughes; brother Barry Hughes; brothers-in-law Tom & John Balcom; nieces Shelly Cook and Erin Thibodeau.

Jim is survived by his soulmate and wife of 48 years, Susan Hughes; children Jared (Faith) Hughes, Carlyn (Bryan) Barton, Aimee (Kori) Mize, and Timothy Hughes; grandchildren Allyson, Tanner, Annika, Bradyn and Tyanna; brothers Lanny (Susan), Randy, and David; sisters Debbie (Del) Haynes and Diane (Frank) Lukas; sisters-in-law Gayle (Ed) Cook, Janet Jannsen, Nancy Balcom, and Ginger Balcom; brothers-in-law Skip (Barbara) Balcom and Barney (Susan) Balcom; aunts Jamie Howell, Donna Derrick and Ellen Hughes; too many nieces and nephews and cousins to count; and many, many good friends and hunting buddies.

Jim was truly a good man whose passing will leave a huge hole in the lives of us all.

A private family funeral service will be held on Saturday, March 13, 2021. There will be a Celebration of Life following the funeral services from 2:00 to 6:00 p.m. at 2580 Hoo Doo Loop, Oldtown, Idaho. For more information call 509-863-3315.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in his name to two of the organizations that he especially respected and approved of whole-heartedly because of their personal connection with the family: Wacky Warriors – a foundation for care and research of childhood cancers (www.wackywarriors.org) and Ronald McDonald House in Spokane (https://rmhcinlandnw.org).

Sherman-Campbell Funeral & Cremation Services in Newport is in charge of arrangements. Family and friends are invited to sign the online guest book at shermancampbell.com.